Good Morning! 🌞 

May 17 is Armed Forces Day. It honors all five branches of the U.S. military—the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. It’s a day to recognize the service and sacrifice of those who protect our country. 🫡 

Earth Science

200 Billion Tons of Ice

Antarctica made headlines this week for an unexpected shift: it gained ice instead of losing it. Between 2010 and 2020, the Antarctic ice sheet was shrinking by an average of 147 gigatons per year. But from 2021 to 2023, researchers from Tongji University—led by Dr. Wei Wang and Professor Yunzhong Shen—discovered that the Wilkes Land and Queen Mary Land regions in East Antarctica gained an average of 108 gigatons of ice annually. That’s 108 billion tons per year, despite global temperatures hitting record highs during the same period.

The findings come from GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite data, which measure variations in Earth’s gravity caused by shifts in ice mass. Four glacier basins—Totten, Moscow University, Denman, and Vincennes—were responsible for the gains, which were driven by unusually high precipitation. This added mass was enough to slightly slow global sea level rise, potentially offsetting about 0.3 millimeters per year—roughly a quarter of the average annual rise in the 2010s.

Still, the researchers caution that this ice gain is likely temporary. Early data from 2024 already indicates a return to mass loss, and seasonal fluctuations remain typical. While the ice sheet had been growing at the end of the last measured period, it’s unclear if that growth continued into 2025. Antarctic and Greenland ice melt remain the largest contributors to sea level rise, holding most of the Earth’s fresh water. This development doesn’t mean climate change is reversing—but it does show that not all outcomes are locked in, and some impacts might still be delayed or moderated.

Sports

A 27-Mile Swim

At just 17 years old, Maya Merhige is tackling one of the most grueling challenges in open-water swimming: the Oceans Seven. In April, the Berkeley, California native took on New Zealand’s treacherous Cook Strait—one of the world’s most dangerous swims, known for jellyfish, sharks, cold water, and unpredictable currents. Wearing only a standard swimsuit, Maya swam through 60-degree waters for over 14 hours, battling fear, exhaustion, and repeated jellyfish stings to become one of the youngest swimmers to complete the crossing.

The Cook Strait marks Maya’s fourth successful Oceans Seven swim, following the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, and Hawaii’s Moloka’i Channel. But her journey isn’t just about records. After undergoing surgery in 2023 for a benign pancreatic tumor, Maya began swimming to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. So far, she’s raised $150,000 for Swim Across America. “The jellyfish stings, unpredictable currents, and wind presented unique challenges,” she said, “but knowing that my efforts contribute to cancer research kept me motivated.”

With three swims left—the Strait of Gibraltar, the North Channel, and the Tsugaru Strait—Maya aims to complete the Oceans Seven by January 2028, which would make her the youngest person ever to do so. Supported by her father, coach, and godparents, she continues to push her limits not just for personal achievement, but to inspire others. “The Oceans Seven is just more inspiration to push my limits, try new things, and explore around the world,” she said.

Lifestyle

How It’s Made…

Ever wondered what goes into that comforting cup of instant coffee that jumpstarts your day? Spoiler alert: it’s not instant at all. In our latest featured video, we’re taking you behind the scenes on an extraordinary journey—one that starts on lush coffee farms and ends in your mug. Follow the humble coffee cherry as it's harvested by hand, processed with care, and transformed through a precise blend of science and artistry into the rich, flavorful instant coffee loved around the world.

You'll see the dedication of the farmers, the precision of the processing, and the innovation that turns this age-old tradition into a global staple. It’s a process that combines craft and technology in the most satisfying way—each step designed to preserve flavor, quality, and that signature aroma we all crave.

This isn’t just a look at coffee production—it’s a celebration of the people, passion, and processes that make every sip feel just right.

Watch the full video now and see your morning brew in a whole new light.

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Mind Stretchers

⁉️ 

I wear no crown, yet I count every inch,
Across paper and wood my straight edge will clinch.
No kingdom I rule, but I guide every line—
What am I that measures with edges so fine?

Answers to yesterday’s Mind Stretchers

I hold a thousand secrets in silent scales, I wander endless worlds without leaving trails, I breathe without a single lung in sight, Yet hunger drives me through day and night. What am I? — a fish 🐟️ nobody got this correct today! Better luck next time

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to the email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.